Lock nut



Aug. 20, 1946. R. FUNK I LOCK NUT Filed April 28, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inwentor:

R. FUNK LOCK NUT Aug; 20, 1946.

5 Sheets-Shes?l 3 Filed April 28, 1944 Smaentor; W M,

Patented Aug. 20, 1946 LOCK NUT Rudolph Funk, Warminster, Pa. Application April 28,1944, Serial No. 533,215

s claims.

This invention relates to lock nuts and more particularly to an improved nut of a self-locking character and embodied in a novel and unique, unitary or self-contained structure which is capable of self-retention when placed in use on a bolt, screw or other like-threaded element.

The prime object is to `produce a simple yet practical and highly efficient, self-retentive nut which is readily appliedin use; can be placed in any desired position lengthwise of the bolt, screw or other threaded element andr not necessarily tight against the piece of work nor aided by an additional, separate locking nut or element; and is removable and re-usable at will, without loss in its self-retentive qualities and eifectiveness.

The invention consists. structurally in the provision of a nut having a rigid main body portion, bored and threaded to t (substantially in the usual way) the correspondingly threaded portion of the bolt, screw or other element for which it isintended to be applied in use. This nut has a normally contracted, integral portion which either is inherently resilient in itself or else connedly surrounded and supplemented by a separate resilient member in close cooperative association therewith. The bore of this inherently resilient or resiliently-coniined portion is substantially in continuity of the bore in the main `body portion and correspondingly` threaded but at least slightly contracted whereby this body portion expands and reacts tolengage the bolt or other threaded element clampingly like a brake band and thus holds the applied nut in place thereon.

Specific but non-limiting practical examples of the nut of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the following description in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational and partially sectional View illustrating the application of the nut in one of its forms to a bolt placed in a piece of work;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a top Yplan View of the nut alone;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Figs. 5,' 6 and 7 are sectional detail views illustrating the stages in the forming of the nut; Fig. 5 showing the nut body proper as originally `formed with la straight cylindrical, screwthreaded bore; Fig. 6 showing the reduced upper'portion of the'body as contracted for the 2 l pur-poses of the invention; and Fig. 7 showing how the contracted upper portion of thebody may be slotted;

Fig. 8 is a partial side elevational and sectional view of the supplemental resilient ring` member for the nut in the form thereof as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive; Y

Fig. 9 is a top yplan view of the resilient ring member of Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a modiiied form of nut body proper;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the nut body shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 121s a sideelevation of the complete nut with the resilient ring member attached' to the modication of thebody in Figs. 1,0 and 11;

Fig. 13 is a top plan View of another modiiication of the nut structure; A

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the nut shown in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a section on theiine |5 |5 ofv Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view` of a further modication of the nut structure;

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the nut shown in Fig. 16; y

Fig. 18 is a sectional viewof a modification of the nut structure shownv in Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 isa sectional view of a welded twopiece structural modification;

Fig. 2O is a sectional view, illustrative of the Y original formation of an integral single-piece nut structure;

Fig. 21 is a sectional View, illustrativeof the procedure in nishing the nut from the preformed body shown in Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a view in partial side elevation and section of the nut as produced according to the procedure illustrated in Figs. 20 and 211;

Figs. 23 and 24 are sectional views illustrative of the original and the nal stages in the forma-` tion of a modification in a single-piece nut structure; l

Fig. 25 is a partial side elevation and section of the nut completed in accordance with the procedure illustrated in Figs. 23 and 24;

Figs. 26, 27 and 28 are illustrative ofthe adaptation of the locking nut of the present invention in an anchor-plate type of construction; and

Fig. 29 is a view showing how an anchor-plate type of construction in accordance with therpresent invention may be ,applied with a bolt to a piece of work. f

portion proper shown i gether by Van ordinary bolt 34 in a conventional 5 Y manner except as to the use ofra locking nut n of the present invention for the fastening therel of. The applied nut of the present'V invention is designated'generally by thenumeral.

The' nut', si Chef f uniquestruc ral-form and arrangement and ltsl relativeinherent resiliency in a part or parts;

2,406,070 y v W;

the adjacent base or mainbcdy'portion 35 of the nut.

In Fig. the general structure is substan-Y tially the same as that of Figs. 2 and 4 except that, instead of the edge portion 40 of the collar or ring member being fitted inwardly of a marginal bead or shoulder, as at 4|, it is fitted out- Y thereof vas hereinafter more specically described" Vin connection. with the variousY modicatio1 1s,';f

whereby" it clampingly engages'arounditheentirecircurnference of the bolt 34jand"`-is Athus" self-retentive in ,resistance to the-geieetpffyibration andfother influences which tend tojj'ar move the ordinary conventional nuts tout `Lof threaded porcin .of-f the nooit. so, ftoq'fthe nut of;

the present inventi'n'can :be @removed from"V the:

` bolt'vsiithoiit-injur therb'ne thereof. Thus,

each is re-usabl dover again. Y Y

` Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive,.mmprisesfa sjiiestanfnai,

nut, but the conningl-ce isferzfa eaitieuiararrdfifmefeiinyl resilient ,char-nV side an annular shoulder 42 which is formed on the base or mainr body portion V some distance v inwardly from thetmarginhthereof.

Y'Inprodlciiig,the integral'base or main body Vportion 35 and reduced neck portion 36 for all of the herein described nut structures the proceduregis the same, except as to Vthe'provision for the attachment thereto of theresilient element "'fwhichjfconmes and vcooperatively aiec'tsy the fnnctionalaetigonof the neck portion 36 in theV `vself-retentive quality of theV nut.` rlhe i'lrst step ,in-fthe'Lprocedure is1to form the body portion proper substantially as shown in Fig. 5, witha continuous, straight, cylindrical 'bore :V143 screwthreaded :throughout :the :entire: length -ztnereof and correspondingto f-the Vithrea'dirigr-of .thev bolt or'the 'like to which-the .nutfis to-lbewappliediin user. The neckfporti'on 36 =isthen2compressedland squeezed inwardly, allA aroundgwherebyft'o de= form and contract it slightly as indicatedinFi'g;

6 andgive a tapered'restrictionto that '.partJ-of the. screwt'hre'aded boref43 wis located the neck-portion.

. :An external annular-'sho producing-- an upstanding 'annular-flange -46 in pro'ximitylto said-annular shoulder l'44.3-

acter, so'that, when fitted about the ne'cfkjpc'wtiony tached' from?siiclreleniehtejiternse; y

#TAS-'shown more clearly in Fi"s;'f8 and"'9,"the collar or ring member 31 is in theform'pf'a c'u'pped orLai'ir-ularlyanged ring. The inwardly arged portion 38,"s'urroundir'igjthe central opening 39 of this memberL-istted tight1y"`about theio'uterend p'orti'on'A 46 lofthe frestrict'ed neck 36, llfitsf larger'f'dg Qoltn held V`in annularengagementiwithlthefadj ac'ntfm'ain body prtion'3`r5if the nut (seeligs. 2,'4' and l5) `Also, theftop Eimer 'surface 'for the ep 31' is-prs'sed tightly'oyer'thelolltsd diameter ff' an .annular shoulder. 44 for-med on -the neck 33 of lthe nutv jstl'w tnsainiid prtionflls; articularillu'strated in Figs. 2 5 inwardly lflangedj-prortion -38y of Hthis ingcollar or ring-31 Vis held iin V-an--annular groove formed finthe'fzadjacentneck portion by] ar procedure to be described herein morelfullyfin detail.,l this structural form of the 'nut Vfthe larger edgejportion lll-"of the`fcollar'or ring .member-#fis lfitted; inwardly 'behind an .iupstalndirigI annular vbead or shoulder 4l formed marginallyonj The external diameter of the fflange-MB corresponds to tli'ediameter'of the inwardly flanged efcollarf'or lrlifng'im'eniber 31,*which opening 39er; v latter -mernber isfslipped Foyer the'th-us formed and contracted'fend-portion loi the Yneck 36, with` -its internal annular fiar-ige 33restingonlthe shoulder tion'fM-fflthe collar-or ringmember 31 is'tted spun-for otherwise tur-ned outwardly' and `-d'own tightly uponetheinturned flangejthereby pro' in'gJof thecollar or 'ring member 37 thereonyexceptl as -to'thel'ower annular-edgepor'tion'w of' said member 31, which latter, injthis particular s'idel'of an fannularfshonlder^42 formed on the base V or 'main body portion "35 'of' thenut 'instead4 of inside of the marginal bead Vor shoulderV 4| In applying the nut ofthe r presentfinye`ntion',to`

a correspondingly threadedfrbolt, 34 ori-,he like,;in use,A the normally contractedgtapered neck'porald'riMI-lisilformea:on the neck portion v 36 of'ltlieyut be'dy! proper fad-l jacent its outer end land'-the"uterfend-por-tionS erail Structural scheme set, whereby the` nut is clamped` tightly onthe' bolt; 34 or 'other like screw-threaded element, and, ,without extraneous assistance, is thus ef-l fectively self-resistant to vibration and shock which might cause movement `and displacement of l an ordinary conventional nut not jammed tight4 against an adjacent piece of work or else held in place by a separate jam nut tightened thereagainst.

It is here particularly stressed that the nut of thepresentinvention, in some of its practical uses, ,need not be necessarily tightened against a piece ,of work but mayube spacedsome distance apart therefrom, and yet it is self-retentive in whateverrposition it is placed on the boltV or the like to which it is applied in use.v Notonly this, but itcan'be readily removed, at will, without injuryto itself` or the screw-threaded element on which itis applied; and, because of the inherent resiliency createdv by its peculiarly characterisresilient collar'` or ring member 31 is provided inacomposite structure. Thus, as shown in Figs. 3 and f1, the neck portion 36 may have an openended slot 48 cutor otherwisev formed therein;

or, as .shown in Figs..10 and 11, two of such slots maybe provided in diametrically opposite relation` to ,each other. A larger number of these slots Imay be provided in some structures, depending. principally on the size of the nut and theparticularuse for which it is intended; but, in the more common and general use of the nuts ofuthepresent invention, either the single or double', slotted provisions and arrangements will suicew The' structures illustrated in Figs. 1 to 15, inclusive,^are substantially alike except as to the particular fitting of the lower annular edge portion;ofthe confiningcollar or ring member l31 to;the base or main body portion 35 of the nut, and/inthe `number of slots 48 in the reduced neck portion 36. As to the provision of said slots 48 it is here noted that the same can be cut in the neckl portion 36 either before the compressing and Vcontracting of this part, but preferably after` the screw-threading of the bore 46 and not until the nut body proper has reached the contracted stage shown in Figs. 6 and '7 in the process of manufacture. l Y p v In Figs. 16, 1'1 and 18, the nut body proper is substantially the same in general structural form asthose above described. The resilient confining collar or ring member, however, is in a modiiiedjform, in thatY it is cupped in an integral formation providing a crowned portion49 which covers and encloses the upper open end of the nut body proper and is spaced a sufficient Vdistance therefrom to afford ample clearance for the protruding end of the bolt .or like element to .which the nut is applied, as, :for example, in an instance vapproximately like that illustrated in Fig.` .l,where the applied nut is adjacent the endpfzthegbolt. Y

In'the particular form shown in Fig.. 16 the" collar portion proper 31 has an interna1v annular flange 50 that is fitted snugly around the'upstanding top flange 46v of the neck portion 36 and rests on the lateral annularV shoulder 44.- Thel lower skirt portion of the ,collar 31 as thus fitted on the; neck portion 36 is afterwards. crimpedv inwardly, forming an internal, annular bead 5l in tight engagement under the shoulder Y44, thereby holding the collar 31 securely inv place. The function of this particular collar member is primarily for the same purpose asv those in the herein previously described structures, but, in addition,.affords. a protective covering at the outer end ofthe nut.

In this modification shown in Fig. 16 the annular top face of the base or main body portion Y of the nut is plain and fiat throughout and the lower edge portion of the collar or ring member 31 just touches the adjacent face of the nut body, and theonly means of attachment of said member 31 is the aforesaid fitting of the internal' flange 50 on the reduced neck portion of the nut body, together with the annular, inward crimping of the skirt portion of said member 31 under .the annular shoulder 44 on the neck portionv 36.. Y

In Fig. 18 the collar member 31 is made in two pieces, fitted one within the other. The inner piece 52 is flanged inwardly and fitted to the neck portion 36 of the nut body substantially as in the modifications illustrated in Figs. 1 to 15, inclusive, and the lower edge portion of the piece 52 is fitted inside the marginal bead or shoulder 4I of the base or main body portion of the nut substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.' The outer piece 53 of this two-piece collar 31 is formed substantially the same as the single-piece collar f shoulder 44 of the neck portion 36 ofthe nut bodyin a manner substantially the saine as for the single-piece member shown in Fig. 16.

of the annular marginal bead yor shoulder 4I of the base or main body portion of the nut.

A further structural modification is illustrated in Fig. 19. This structure, in general, is quite similar to those previously described, and also except as to the manner in which thek flanged collar member 31 is attached to the'body portion proper of the nut. In this particular modification, the inward, annularly flanged upper end portion of the collar member 31 is fitted on the adjacent end portion of the neck part 36 of the nut body substantially as in the previouslydescribed structures, but the lower edge portion of the collar member 31 is welded, as at 51, to the annular top face of the base portion of body proper. ,y

While the herein described multiple-piece structures may be the more desirable and practical'in the manufacture of the nut of the present invention because of certain advantages in the'procedure incidental thereto, the nut can be made in an integral one-piece structure and is As o contemplated, and exemplification thereof is illus'- .icallydifferent in details of the procedure in form-v In this l two-piece collar structure the lower annular edge portion of the outer piece 53 just touches the top the nut 9 eratively surrounding and confining said normally contracted lesser part of the nut body proper and Vexpanding therewith but reacting constantly to return this nut body part back to its normal form, said surrounding and confining collar member being capped and flanged and at least a part thereof being xedly attached to an adjacent part ofthe nut body proper.

4. A self-retentive nut of the character described, comprising a rigid, non-deformable and form-retentive major body portion proper, bored and conventionally screw-threaded, an integral lesser body portion being deformable and expansible, reduced in size and normally contracted, and bored in continuation of the bore of said major body portion and with like screwthreading, but appreciably constricted substantially correspondingly to the contraction of said lesser body portion, said lesser body portion being inherently resilient to permit limited expansion thereof when the nut is placed on the bolt or similar element and is reactive constantly to selfrecovery of its normally contracted form, and said lesser body portion being supplemented in its function and effect by a separately formed but integral part of the nut body in a one-piece structure as distinguished from a multiple-piece composite structure, the said supplemented part being formed into a partly spaced, though integral collar surrounding said lesser body portion and affording a support between the same and said major body portion of thenut.

5. A self-retentive nut of the character dey scribed, comprising a rigid, non-deformable and form-retentive major body portion proper, bored and conventionally screw-threaded, an integral lesser body portion being deformable and expansible, reduced in size and normally contracted,

and Vbored in continuation of the bore of said major body portion and with like screW-threading, :but appreciably constricted substantially correspondingly to the contraction of said lesser body portion, said lesser body'portion 'being inherently resilient to permit limited expansion thereof When the nut is placed on the bolt or simiand with its margin in supported engagementv with the major body portion proper of the nut.

6. A self-retentive nut of the character described, comprising a rigid, non-deformable and form-retentive major body portion proper, bored and conventionally screw-threaded, an integraly lesser body portion being deformable and expansible, reduced in size and normally contracted, and bored in continuation ofthe bore of said major body portion and with like screw-threading, but appreciably constricted substantially correspondingly to the contraction of said lesser body portion, said lesser body portion being inherently resilient to permit limited expansion thereof when the nut is placed on the bolt or similar element and is reactive constantly to selfrecovery of its normally contracted form, said major body portion of the nut being formedwith an upstanding `annular collar-like flange surrounding and spaced from the lesser body portion and with its upper margin turned inward into supported contact throughout with the adjacent upper end of said lesser body portion.

RUDOLPH FUNK. 

